In an effort to reduce vehicle emissions and reduce reliance on limited oil reserves, manufactures are increasingly moving toward battery packs as a mobile power source. In some vehicle configurations the battery pack augments an internal combustion engine while in other applications the battery pack is the sole source of energy used to propel the vehicle. Thus, there is a need for a variety of battery packs that have different voltage and current output. Further, as battery packs are integrated into an increasing variety of vehicle types, vehicle packaging constraints may limit battery pack volume and geometry. Accordingly, battery packs may have different packaging constraints and power requirements for different applications. The inventors herein have recognized that it may be cost prohibitive to redesign and repackage battery components for all applications. Further, it is unlikely that a single or a few special purpose designs would be suitable for a wide range of applications. Accordingly, the inventors herein have developed a system for controlling monitoring and voltage balancing of individual battery cells within a battery pack supplying power to a vehicle, comprising: a circuit board comprising a plurality of battery cell monitor and voltage balance circuits, said plurality of battery cell monitor and balance circuits configurable to monitor a variable number of battery cells, a number of said plurality of battery cell monitor and voltage balance circuits populated corresponding to a number of battery cells monitored.
A battery cell monitor and voltage balance board that is scalable may allow a battery pack manufacturer to reduce design cost and time. Further, a scalable design for battery cell monitor and voltage balance boards may allow a battery pack to be comprised of one or more battery cell stacks that vary in a number of battery cells. Thus, a scalable battery cell monitor and voltage balance board may provide a way to easily vary the geometric design of a battery pack to accommodate varying customer packaging requirements.
The present description may provide several advantages. For example, the approach may lower system design costs by permitting a single battery monitor and voltage balance board design to be used to construct a plurality of battery pack configurations. In addition, the present approach may reduce system cost since battery control electronics and control software may not have to be redesigned for every application. Further, the approach may allow for the construction of a wide variety of battery pack geometries. Further still, the approach draws substantially equal amounts of current from battery cells powering control circuitry. Further still, the approach has redundant checks to ensure proper system configuration.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.